2 y/o Pitbull Mix

“Second review here and honestly, if you wanna gift you and your family a holiday present- a board and train season with Zoe and her team is probably the best and most rewarding gift for you and your relationship with your furry friend.

I pride myself in having benefitted from training tips and a serious study into how to be a good trainer/leader for the crazy pup but there was only so much I could be consistent and reinforce by myself I called Kopi my B+ girl.

Zoe really helped us take her to an A class dog. She knew us through the years and this is a crazy 30lb pup who understood a lot, knew lots of tricks, very eager to train for food but just genetically had impulses that were hard to manage. We were embarrassed by her. We have two kids in our family and having a dog that we would coexist with is so important.

The investment and trust we put in Zoe really paid off. I've interviewed many other trainers and have taken her to many other consultations and evaluations with other organizations and no one has been able to crack Kopi's code like Zoe.

And Zoe wants us to succeed and make this a lifetime journey. It's taken me months to write this because I wanted to feel assured that the training instilled gets passed on to us and Zoe helped us reinforce it after the B&T and now we have a pup who has a great life off leash and also is able to hike with us on a loose leash and minimal corrections and reactivity. Many others have tried to help but nobody transformed our rescued mutt to this more relaxed pup like Zoe/Rascal.

To understand the magic and confidence of a talented and committed trainer like Zoe, you have to meet her and see for yourself!”

5 y/o Corgi Mix

“Investing in Rascal Training for our anxious corgi-mix is the best thing we’ve done for our family in years. Upon starting training, our dog was fearful of humans, scattered, confused, overwhelmed because he lacked the tools. After 4-5 weeks of boarding and training with Rascal, he is a better version of his silly self.

We have had so many successful outings and camping trips now. Our quality of life is up! Our other pets are also happier with more consistency.

We have had friends who used to get barked at for hours when they visit. Now, he lays quietly in his bed and my friends have said “wow, I can’t believe this is the same dog. He’s so chill!” THAT WAS THE BEST COMPLIMENT considering he would snap and show teeth anytime someone came over.

Rascal Training is it! Look no further for you and your dog!”

1 y/o Lagotto Romeagnolo

“Our dog Kona came back from rascal a changed pup!

Before training, we had been struggling with leash pulling, recall, and constant attention seeking behavior in the house. Dinners were a combination of redirecting her destructive behaviors, loud barking, and trying to prevent counter surfing.

We decided on Rascal for our board and train needs since Zoe focused so heavily on for everyday situations. Since she’s based in Portland proper, Kona was able to learn how to behave in the same types of situations that are part of our life, like coffee shops, errands, city parks, and food cart pods. She even took Kona camping and worked on her skills with wildlife distractions.

Since Kona came home she’s been a changed girl. She crushes recall in the dog park, sits quietly on her platform bed at home during dinner, and stays right alongside us during walks. Zoe also gave us the tools and skills we need to redirect Kona to productive behaviors. Now we understand the types of activities that give her the most mental and physical stimulation. This understanding of her needs help us better satisfy her on a daily basis and help us learn how to better engage with her as part of her life long training. All of this together leads to a better behaved, happier, and less anxious dog, and has significantly improved our relationship with her. We’d recommend Zoe and Rascal to anyone looking for dog training.”

1y/o Terrier Mix

“My husband and I took our terrier mix to Rascal Training’s board and train program in the hopes of helping our anxious and reactive dog. We were definitely a little nervous about leaving our buddy for so many days but what we got out of the program was so much more than we could have hoped for. Throughout the process Zoe was so attentive, gentle, thorough, and patient. The team was so good at giving updates and were always available to us if we had any questions. When it came time to pick our buddy up we were amazed at all the progress he had made. Our dog is an anxious dog and we could see the improvement in his confidence and we couldn’t be happier. Zoe went well over the allotted time scheduled to make sure that we had a clear understanding of everything our pup had learned and that we felt comfortable with all the new tools we had just learned also. All in all I would definitely recommend this program to anyone that might be thinking about it. We personally walked away with a better bond with our dog, a better understanding of him, and I’d say more importantly a clearer grasp on how we can be better for him. Zoe and her team are patient, kind, humorous, and attentive and gentle. This definitely exceeded our expectations.”

2 y/o Pitbull Mix

“This review is for Rascal's Board and Train services for common dog issues (anxiety, reactivity, leash pulling, bad manners, etc.).

First: whatever issues your dog has, Zoe can handle it. Watch her IG to see for yourself. Your dog will learn so much, gain confidence, and behave so well under Zoe's training and care. Your dog may even become obsessed with her too- our dog certainly is.

Second: What I think is more important to review is the process for what happens when your dog comes back to you and you're NOT a dog trainer. How does one keep the dog that has just proven they can be so good and doesn't just revert back? That's where Zoe shines. Zoe is a very good teacher, so incredibly patient, very down to earth, and has a good sense of humor. She supports you and your dog and works within your situation. We never felt pressured, we asked all kinds of dumb questions and weren't judged, and we knew we could always circle back for clarity or more support if needed. Our dog, and more importantly how we help her, has improved exponentially.

We board our dog with Rascal and take her to MotherPupper for healthy play and continued training, and know she gets top notch care and consistency at both. We're all happier for it.”

3 y/o German Shepherd

“Let me get this out the way right now. SEND YOUR DOG HERE. If you are even considering a board and train, do it.

We sent our big oaf of a GSD rescue (Shadow) to Rascal after a ton of research and it was the right choice. My partner and I live in Montavilla and wanted to be able to bring our dog everywhere we could. Unfortunately, she was an 85 pound asshole that couldn't walk on a leash and spent her life being anxious and obsessive. She also couldn't hang with our cats and would waste her days staring down the hall at them - nothing could tear her away.

Looking through the Rascal website and instagram I knew that Zoe was the right person. As Shadow progressed through the program she was able to go on a ton of field trips. This aspect was very important to me, knowing that Shadow would have exposure to public places (home improvement stores, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, etc.) with someone who can make sure the experience is positive.

Shadow has only been home a few days, but it's been amazing. She can go for walks now without giving us blisters on our palms by pulling. She is able to lay down in the front yard with me while there are crows and squirrels around. SHE HEARS ME WHEN I CALL HER.

The hardest part of the whole thing has been my own training, but even that is easier every day.

Seriously, Rascal Training is worth it a thousand times over.”

1 y/o Golden Retriever

“I have nothing but great things to say about Zoe and the Rascal Training Board and Train! I really wanted to find a program that I could trust, and after extensive research I found Zoe. For reference, before going to Zoe, my puppy had problems with leash pulling, impulsive eating, ignoring commands, and other common puppy behaviors. Going on walks or out in public felt like a chore that I hated due to how stressful it was, which was difficult because of how much energy my puppy has. We enrolled her in the two week program, which we then extended to the one month program with Zoe’s recommendations, and I was so impressed by the results! Now my puppy walks right alongside me without problems, easily follows commands, exhibits patience, has excellent recall, and is more happy and confident than ever. She is still the same loving and playful dog, but now I can really trust her as well. Walks are fun for both of us, and I’m more motivated to keep up her training because of it!

On top of the training, Zoe took such great care of my dog overall. Progress videos were shared through her Instagram and I loved seeing my dog on there going to so many fun places! Zoe is also extremely kind and super responsive - I sent her emails and asked a ton of questions, and she was always happy to help with super thorough replies. Zoe is now the only other person I trust with my dog, and it’s clear my dog adores her. There are not enough words to describe how happy I am with Rascal Training, and I can’t recommend Zoe enough!! If you’re considering a board and train, this is the place to go!”

1 y/o Goldendoodle

“Zoe has been a phenomenal support to our family after bringing home our goldendoodle puppy. She came to our home for a couple training sessions. She listened patiently and was incredibly responsive and generous with her time and knowledge. After each visit we noticed immediate changes in our pup and felt empowered with new tools to move forward to continue the training.

We then sent our pup to her for a two week board/train session and I am not exaggerating when I say she came home a different dog. She listens intently, she is much more obedient and quick to comply with what we ask of her. I have had a TON of questions and Zoe has been very willing to respond quickly and offer advise as we continue to learn. Zoe is the best!”

2 y/o Border Collie Pointer Mix + 1 y/o Beagle Mix

“After getting our second puppy after only having the first one for a year we were in over our heads.

We made the decision to board and train our dogs with Rascal Training. If you are considering training your dogs in the Portland area, DO IT.

Zoe and the other trainers at Rascal are truly amazing. They loved our dogs as their own, taught them a ridiculous amount of things and offer follow up trainings with the dog owners after the board and train is complete which is invaluable. We did the 4 week board and train.

Just to name the biggest changes in our pups:

- down, here, wait, shh, sit, go to bed, uh ahh (commands)

- loose leash walking

- off leash walking

- recall (which was VERY huge for us)

- crate trained

I can't even type out how much this has changed our lives for the better. Dogs are happier and so are we.

Zoe has answered every question we have had, which has been a LOT. She is super kind, patient, and professional.

We have had our dogs go to walk and train sessions as follow ups and find those very useful as well.

I cannot say enough praise for Zoe and Rascal Training!”